Danny Elfman is back. That's all I have to say. It seems that the films
of Tim Burton bring out the best in Elfman's unique compositional abilities,
and Burton's latest movie, based on the Colonial American legend, definitely
inspired him more than any other movie he's scored in the last few years.
He combines a huge orchestra, in excess of 100 players, 2 choirs - the
Metro Voices and a boys choir (the London Oratory School SCHOLA), pipe
organ, and solo voices into a hugely dark, sometimes dissonant, but utterly
fantastic score that stands not only as one of the best of the year, but
as one of Elfman's best ever. The action cues sound like some of his earlier
work in Batman, but much more atonal and chaotic, and without the strong
theme. That's not to say there's no theme - upon multiple listens you'll
find several binding motives, as well as a main theme that sounds like
a fascinating take on the ancient Dies Irae plainchant that serves the
movie well. It's extremely flexible - its uses range from unearthly choral
chants and more tender moments to an all-out weapon used amidst the atonal
dissonance. That final example could very well describe the entire score
- although there are a few quieter sections, the majority of the score
is a smorgasbord of action cues utilizing the full choir, sometimes screaming
atonally, and percussive dissonant orchestral attacks. The movie, of course,
is one of the most popular of the year, and somehow it almost beat out
the new James Bond movie (Bomb. James Bomb.) in its opening weekend.
Although the ending was somewhat cartoonish, overall it served as a macabre,
sometimes horrific picture that surely stands with some of Burton's best.
Another fascinating aspect of the score is the way Elfman sometimes uses
orchestral textures to signify various people and events instead of the
typical leitmotif or theme. An example of this is the Colonial American
violin, which usually plays dances, used here as an atonal texture signifying
the occult sections of the film. I guess the other Elfman score which this
is most akin to would have to be Batman Returns, with Nightbreed a close
second. However, there are none of the boring ambient parts found in Returns
or his idiotic goofy parts. Finally, I must praise Hollywood Records for
the CD's length - over 68 minutes. Overall, if you're looking for a return
to Elfman's earlier dark writing style, Sleepy Hollow is the answer.

Track by Track Analysis:

1. Introduction (4:15)
Elfman begins his score with this lengthy overture, which serves as
something of a "teaser" before the main titles. He promptly sets the tone
of the disc with his typical array of minor chords, now joined by a huge
cathedral organ. For the introduction of the main theme, based somewhat
on the Dies Irae, Elfman uses his trademark solo female vocal backed by
the full choir. He intercuts this with more violent dissonant material.
The remainder of the track expands on the theme, also introducing some
of the atonal motives to return later, still with the pipe organ. Oh, and
don't go looking for his usual pitiful circus music, because it's nowhere
to be found here. Thankfully.

2. Main Titles (3:09)
Although it seems as if the darkness will finally let up with the introduction
of a racing rhythm for solo violin, the gothic mood returns with huge choral
chants and pipe organ. After a lighter recap of the theme, Elfman combines
later strains of the theme with both the gothic carols and atonal chaos.
The final seconds have the theme in 4 part chorus, probably the calmest
section we've had so far.

3. Young Ichabod (1:20)
For a change, Elfman gives us a lighter track with a solo soprano singing
the entire theme with assorted celeste and percussion. Surprisingly, this
was a highlight of the score for me.

4. The Story... (4:28)
For the flashback sequence in which the Horseman legend is explained,
Elfman combines dark narrative ambience with a huge action cue based on
his main theme. For an example of the many uses of the theme, listen
to tracks 3 & 4 back to back. Most of the cue is based on one
of the ostinatos found in the Introduction, which sounds like a clever
offshoot of the one from Holst's Mars. The main highlight of the
track is a huge choral hymn of the main theme complete with pipe organ
in the middle.

5. Masbath's Terrible Death (1:35)
The darkly ambient mood continues in the opening of this track, which
proceeds to a Gothic recap of the theme with an electronically altered
soprano. This becomes louder and more out of control until it hits
another charging dissonant action theme, with the main theme played by
the trombone choir with choral shouts in the background.

6. Sweet Dreams (1:11)
Elfman's "Dreams" series continues where it left off in Young Ichabod.
This track has a boy's choir variation on the main theme with a solo violin
in the background that's very unnerving.

7. A Gift (2:26)
In this track, Elfman takes his dark ambience and adds something of
a lighter spin, which makes it kind of a blend between the "Dreams" tracks
and some of the other ambience. Like always, liberal doses of the
main theme are used.

8. Into the Woods/The Witch (3:32)
Although the first part is darkly ambient with a solo soprano recap
of the main theme, The Witch contains one of the most intelligent thematic
uses of the year. Elfman goes the route of Don Davis in The Matrix by using
instead of melody different styles of music as themes. Here, to signify
the witchcraft in the film, he uses a small string ensemble playing something
akin to the old American fiddle music. However, its use here is anything
but merry; instead it's one of the most dissonant moments of the score,
and one of my favorite sections.

9. More Dreams (1:42)
For the latest entry into the Dreams sequence, Elfman brings back the
solo boy soprano and chorus singing the main theme with a repeating piano
ostinato. The track eventually becomes much more complex in orchestration
than some of the other ones. Also, the tone becomes decidedly darker
in the last few seconds with an ominous chant from the adult chorus.

10. The Tree of Death (9:36)
This, as you would think from its length, is the biggest setpiece of
the score - 10 minutes of uninterrupted Gothic action music. The scene
was one of the most harrowing in the movie - Ichabod cuts into a tree that
continually leaks blood, finally revealing the horseman's stash of heads.
The first few minutes are Elfman's typically macabre ambient music, with
a highlight being his use of the theme in celeste under tons of brass dissonance.
Soon it erupts into the most chaotic passage in the entire score - as the
Horseman attacks, Elfman introduces a soulless low string and percussion
ostinato, accompanied by huge choral shouts and string/woodwind runs. It
quiets for a while, later using a detuned flute against macabre string
sections. This turns into another supremely dissonant action cue
with the chanting chorus, rushing strings, snare drum, and ruthless brass.
Finally, after this exhausts itself the atonality mutates into another
episode for the dissonant solo fiddle, now with dense percussion and huge
clashes of chaos. The final 2 minutes introduce a busy tutti section
for orchestra that sounds like something Leonard Rosenman would write with
its huge tone pyramids and atonal outbursts.

11. Bad Dream/Tender Moment (3:33)
From the start, it's obvious that there's something more going on in
this "Dreams" track than the other ones. It opens with a low bass
clarinet variation on the main theme, soon becoming a full statement of
the theme with adult chorus and pipe organ. Of course, this dissolves
into another uneasy dissonant section. "Tender Moment" goes along
with its name, producing another tranquil section to give us a break from
the action.

12. Evil Eye (3:43)
Here we have another typical Elfman atonal action cue, with a slightly
more mystical approach with the boy's choir chanting in the background.

13. The Church Battle (3:33)
After a subdued opening, this becomes one of the most harrowing chase
pieces in the score with snare drum, a recoiling trombone figure and brass
fanfares (of course with lots of the theme)

14. Love Lost (5:16)
This track begins like some of the "Dreams" tracks with the boys choir
chanting over a solo violin statement of the main theme. The second
part, however, becomes yet ANOTHER dissonant action cue. I'm not
complaining, though; Elfman still manages to keep them interesting.

15. The Windmill (6:18)
Obviously, this is another of Elfman's fascinating action tracks.
It continues some of the brass fanfare material found in The Church Battle.
Like a lot of the other ones, he intercuts apocalyptic action parts (with
choir) with darker ambience.

16. The Chase (3:11)
Actually, I think this is my favorite track on the album. Instead
of using the intercut approach, Elfman goes all out and makes this nonstop
action, based on a racing low string ostinato, forming by far the busiest
and most complex material heard thus far. It's almost like a macabre
version of the fox hunts found in Golden Age scores. In fact, it
looks as if this may become prime trailer material for action movies next
year.

17. The Final Confrontation (4:16)
You can tell Elfman's back to thinking like he did in the '80s - his
trademark "Final Confrontation" track title strikes again. This and
the last piece form the action highlight of the album, and while The Chase
was more frenzied, The Final Confrontation goes more for the majestic approach
with a final choral chant section.

18. A New Day! (1:29)
This becomes Elfman's last entry into the "Dreams" series of cues,
although it didn't actually underscore a dream. He gives us a triumphant
version of his main theme backed by angelic choir.

19. End Credits (3:17)
Befitting the movie, Elfman makes the end credits into a final action
cue based on the main theme. Although it begins with a quiet piano/celeste/choir
version of the theme, it soon introduces a racing low string ostinato and
horseshoe-like percussion that conjures up more images of the Horseman.
Like a lot of the other cues, the composer intercuts the calm, triumphant
choral bits with this action material, with the chorus finally winning
and fading out.

As I've said many times in this review, Elfman's macabre stylings and
dissonance make Sleepy Hollow one of the best scores of the year. Buy it
- you won't be disappointed.